Seasonal Salad Around the World 2025
4.1.7 Europe: Russia, Croatia, Slovenia
2025/07/10
In Search Of World's Hidden Tastes
4.1.7 Around Europe, Explore Seasonal Salads
European cuisine is a broad term encompassing the diverse culinary traditions of the continent's many countries. It is characterized by a variety of dishes, ingredients, and cooking styles that have evolved over centuries. Key aspects include the prominence of meat, dairy products, and wheat-flour bread, as well as regional specialties like pasta, pastries, and various types of cheese.
Russian cuisine is a diverse and hearty cuisine known for its soups, stews, pickled and fermented foods, and dishes featuring grains, potatoes, and root vegetables. It also incorporates influences from surrounding regions, including Northeast Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Asia. Common dishes include pelmeni (dumplings), borscht (beetroot soup), and pirozhki (stuffed buns).
Croatian cuisine is a diverse blend of Mediterranean and continental influences, with regional variations across the country. Key elements include fresh seafood, olive oil, pasta, and hearty meat dishes, often influenced by Italian, Austrian, Hungarian, and Turkish culinary traditions.
Slovenian cuisine is a diverse mix of culinary influences shaped by its landscape, climate, history, and neighboring cultures. It features a variety of dishes, from hearty stews and soups to sweet pastries and savory dumplings, using locally sourced ingredients like vegetables, grains, meat, dairy, and honey.
One should choose food to eat according to the seasons. Food is seasonal whereas salad is also seasonal.
Now we depart for Russia, Croatia, and Slovenia, explore their seasonal salads sharing with everyone.
Russian cuisine is a diverse and hearty cuisine known for its soups, stews, pickled and fermented foods, and dishes featuring grains, potatoes, and root vegetables. It also incorporates influences from surrounding regions, including Northeast Europe, the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Asia. Common dishes include pelmeni (dumplings), borscht (beetroot soup), and pirozhki (stuffed buns).
Croatian cuisine is a diverse blend of Mediterranean and continental influences, with regional variations across the country. Key elements include fresh seafood, olive oil, pasta, and hearty meat dishes, often influenced by Italian, Austrian, Hungarian, and Turkish culinary traditions.
Slovenian cuisine is a diverse mix of culinary influences shaped by its landscape, climate, history, and neighboring cultures. It features a variety of dishes, from hearty stews and soups to sweet pastries and savory dumplings, using locally sourced ingredients like vegetables, grains, meat, dairy, and honey.
One should choose food to eat according to the seasons. Food is seasonal whereas salad is also seasonal.
Now we depart for Russia, Croatia, and Slovenia, explore their seasonal salads sharing with everyone.
▲ Seasonal Salad 39：
Russian Olivier Salad
Olivier salad , also known as Russian salad, is a traditional salad dish in Russian cuisine. Its creation is generally attributed to Lucien Olivier.
It is popular in the post-Soviet states and around the world. In different modern recipes, it is usually made with diced boiled potatoes, carrots and brined dill pickles (or cucumber), together with optional eggs, vegetable or fruit ingredients such as green peas, celeriac, onions and apples, optional meat ingredients such as diced boiled chicken, cured sausage, ham, or hot dogs, with salt, pepper and mustard sometimes added to enhance flavor, and dressed with mayonnaise.
In Russia and other post-Soviet states, as well as in Russophone communities worldwide, the salad has become one of the main dishes on zakuski tables served during New Year's Eve (Novy God) celebrations.
It is popular in the post-Soviet states and around the world. In different modern recipes, it is usually made with diced boiled potatoes, carrots and brined dill pickles (or cucumber), together with optional eggs, vegetable or fruit ingredients such as green peas, celeriac, onions and apples, optional meat ingredients such as diced boiled chicken, cured sausage, ham, or hot dogs, with salt, pepper and mustard sometimes added to enhance flavor, and dressed with mayonnaise.
In Russia and other post-Soviet states, as well as in Russophone communities worldwide, the salad has become one of the main dishes on zakuski tables served during New Year's Eve (Novy God) celebrations.
Ingredients
· 3 golden potatoes
· 3 medium carrots
· 1 C frozen peas
· 4 hardboiled eggs
· 6 small kosher dill pickles
· 1 - 1½ C olive oil mayonnaise
· ¾ C diced smoked ham (optional)
· finely chopped dill, to garnish
Instructions
1. The first step is to cook your potatoes and carrots. You can use a steamer, or you can boil them. In either case, peel the carrots but not the potatoes. If you are steaming, make sure to prick the potatoes with a fork.
2. Steam the potatoes for 30 minutes to start with, and then add the peeled carrots. Continue steaming for 10-15 more minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are firm but tender when poked.
3. Meanwhile, cook your frozen peas according to package directions. When they are done, set them aside to cool.
4. When the potatoes and carrots are done, allow them to cool to the point that you can handle them easily.
5. Peel the potatoes. Using your fingers or the back of a knife, gently scrape the thin layer of skin off of the potatoes. Dice them into ½-inch cube-ish shapes and put them into a medium serving bowl.
6. Next, dice your carrots.
7. Toss the carrots and a cup of steamed peas into the bowl with the potatoes.
8. Peel and dice your hardboiled eggs however you like.
9. Chop pickles finely.
10. Add the ham if using and mix everything together gently before you add the mayonnaise.
11. Stir in one cup of mayo to start with, and add more if you think that the salad needs more binding together.
12. Cover the salad and chill for at least one hour or overnight to allow the flavors to come together. And of course, garnish with dill.
· 3 golden potatoes
· 3 medium carrots
· 1 C frozen peas
· 4 hardboiled eggs
· 6 small kosher dill pickles
· 1 - 1½ C olive oil mayonnaise
· ¾ C diced smoked ham (optional)
· finely chopped dill, to garnish
Instructions
1. The first step is to cook your potatoes and carrots. You can use a steamer, or you can boil them. In either case, peel the carrots but not the potatoes. If you are steaming, make sure to prick the potatoes with a fork.
2. Steam the potatoes for 30 minutes to start with, and then add the peeled carrots. Continue steaming for 10-15 more minutes, or until the potatoes and carrots are firm but tender when poked.
3. Meanwhile, cook your frozen peas according to package directions. When they are done, set them aside to cool.
4. When the potatoes and carrots are done, allow them to cool to the point that you can handle them easily.
5. Peel the potatoes. Using your fingers or the back of a knife, gently scrape the thin layer of skin off of the potatoes. Dice them into ½-inch cube-ish shapes and put them into a medium serving bowl.
6. Next, dice your carrots.
7. Toss the carrots and a cup of steamed peas into the bowl with the potatoes.
8. Peel and dice your hardboiled eggs however you like.
9. Chop pickles finely.
10. Add the ham if using and mix everything together gently before you add the mayonnaise.
11. Stir in one cup of mayo to start with, and add more if you think that the salad needs more binding together.
12. Cover the salad and chill for at least one hour or overnight to allow the flavors to come together. And of course, garnish with dill.
▲ Seasonal Salad 40：
Croatia Octopus Salad
Octopus Salad is loved by the Croatians on the Dalmatian Coast. Fresh seafood is abundant and this makes a perfect salad as a starter or light lunch. Serve it with a nice glass of white wine and some crusty bread.
In Croatia, especially in Dalmatia region, octopus plays the main role in many healthy and tasty dishes like octopus under the lid, baked octopus with vegetables and various salads. Octopus salad is definitely a must-try dish when in Croatia accompanied by a delicious glass of local wine.
When cooking octopus, the most important thing is to prepare it in a way that it becomes tender. Fisherman used to beat the octopus vigorously against the rocks, then dip it several times into boiling water, then they would proceed with cooking under the lid or some other way.
When cooking octopus, the most important thing is to prepare it in a way that it becomes tender. Fisherman used to beat the octopus vigorously against the rocks, then dip it several times into boiling water, then they would proceed with cooking under the lid or some other way.
Ingredients
· 2 kg octopus
· 15 – 20 cherry tomatoes
· 15 – 20 black olives
· extra virgin olive oil
· 1 lemon
· 5 g parsley
· Salt
· Pepper
Preparation
1. Put the octopus in a boiling water and cook for about an hour on low heat and put the lid on.
2. When the octopus is ready, put it under the cold running water for a few minutes and cut it into small pieces.
3. Out it in a bowl and mix with previously chopped tomatoes and olives in half, or as you prefer.
4. Season with chopped parsley, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley. You can serve it immediately or you can put it in the fridge for an hour if you prefer it cold.
· 2 kg octopus
· 15 – 20 cherry tomatoes
· 15 – 20 black olives
· extra virgin olive oil
· 1 lemon
· 5 g parsley
· Salt
· Pepper
Preparation
1. Put the octopus in a boiling water and cook for about an hour on low heat and put the lid on.
2. When the octopus is ready, put it under the cold running water for a few minutes and cut it into small pieces.
3. Out it in a bowl and mix with previously chopped tomatoes and olives in half, or as you prefer.
4. Season with chopped parsley, extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper, and parsley. You can serve it immediately or you can put it in the fridge for an hour if you prefer it cold.
▲ Seasonal Salad 41：
Regratova solata
Slovenian Dandelion Salad
Regratova solata, or dandelion salad, is a traditional Slovenian dish that has gained popularity in recent years. Regratova solata is a light and refreshing salad that looks great in a party spread.
The dandelion greens must be hand-picked early in the season when they are tender and young, without the flower buds which make the leaves quite bitter. The salad is typically made with a combination of tender dandelion leaves, thinly sliced boiled potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, bacon, coated in a tangy dressing of olive or pumpkin seed oil, and red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar.
The ingredients are simply tossed together, and the salad is then sprinkled with bacon fat, vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings.
The ingredients are simply tossed together, and the salad is then sprinkled with bacon fat, vinegar, olive oil, and seasonings.
Ingredients:
. A large bowl of young dandelion leaves, washed well
. 1-2 cups cubed red potatoes, boiled in salt water
. 1-2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
. 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
. A good drizzle of pumpkin seed oil or olive oil
. Salt, sugar and black pepper to taste
. A good drizzle of pumpkin seed oil or olive oil
. Salt, sugar and black pepper to taste
Optional:
. Kidney beans boiled
. Smoked slab bacon
. Eggs boiled
Instructions:
1. Clean dandelion leaves and tear into bite sized pieces if the leaves are large. Set aside.
1. Clean dandelion leaves and tear into bite sized pieces if the leaves are large. Set aside.
2. Boil the potatoes and drain.
3. While the potatoes are still hot, mix the dandelion greens, potatoes and kidney beans into a bowl, then toss in oil, garlic and vinegar.
4. Add salt, sugar and black pepper to taste.
5. Decorate with bacon, eggs, and kidney beans. Serve warm.
Next, Seasonal Salad Around the World 2025
4.2.7 Europe: Bulgaria, Greece, Germany
Publisher： Chef Kar Delight
